Rajasthan Assembly on Thursday passed a bill that makes sitting on roads with bodies seeking “unjustified demands” for their family members a punishable offence. The family members will now face imprisonment of up to five years for such protests.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal said the state government brought the bill as dead bodies are used to get “unjustified demands” fulfilled and such incidents have been increasing. “Till now, there was no such act and there was no provision in regard to any other act,” Dhariwal said in the Assembly.

“For any person, other than family members, who uses the dead body for remonstration, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than six months, but which may extend to five years and with fine,” according to the bill.

Similarly, punishment for not taking possession of a body by family members will be imprisonment of up to one year or a fine or both, and punishment for family members, who use the body for remonstration or give consent to any other person for using the body for remonstration, will be imprisonment for a term, which may extend to two years, with fine.

The Rajasthan Honour of Dead Body Bill-2023 also seeks to ensure that every dead person has the right to last rites.